by Mary Wright, RN, health educator at North End Waterfront Health
A healthy eating plan should include 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Snacks can provide energy in the middle of the day. They can also decrease your hunger and keep you from overeating at meal time.
Things that make a snack healthy:
- Total calories should be between 100-300 calories per snack.
- No more than ½ of calories should be from fat.
- Sugar should not be one of the first ingredients listed.
- Naturally sweetened is the best choice.
- Be aware of portion or serving size.
- Snacks should be low in fat and sugar and high in fiber and water.
- Put snacks in individual serving containers instead of eating directly from the package.
Ideas for healthy snacks:
- Nuts
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Non-fat yogurt
- Pretzels
- Dark chocolate
- Air popped popcorn
- String cheese
It’s okay to have an unhealthy snack occasionally. Remember balance and moderation!
